OVER 200 representatives of local businesses attended SBM Offshore Guyana’s ‘Let’s Talk Local Content’ seminar at the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo on February 22.

A press release from the company noted that the seminar, which was held at the at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, saw the participation of these representatives from local vendors and organisations that were actively engaged in discussions about the company’s procurement process, key vendor requirements, compliance guidelines, and local content initiatives.

Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Bobby Gossai expressed, “We wanted to see economic growth and economic development. We wanted to see investments and investments back into the economy, and SBM [Offshore] is a partner in the development of local content in Guyana; SBM [Offshore] understands local content and its impact.”

Local content is a key pillar in SBM Offshore Guyana’s integration into Guyana, and the company remains committed to its efforts to ensure that Guyanese benefit from its operations locally, and are guided in providing sustained services to the oil and gas industry.

SBM Guyana’s Local Content Officer, Garri Fraser in his remarks said, that the role of local content has never been more critical, adding, “SBM Offshore, as a leader in floating production solutions, remains steadfast in our sustainable and efficient energy production.”

The activity aligned with the company’s objective of building the capacity of businesses to provide services to the oil and gas sector, and follows several similar routine activities including participation in the Centre for Local Business Development’s Community Business Talks, Supplier Forum 2022, and the company’s Vendor and Compliance Days.

Meanwhile, Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Dr. Martin Pertab in his remarks underscored the role of the secretariat in ensuring that Guyanese benefit from the industry. In a comprehensive panel discussion titled “Synergies in the SBM Offshore Ecosystem – Building Capacity, Workforce, Supply Chain, and Partnerships for Success in the Guyana Market”, SBM Offshore’s key stakeholders emphasised the pivotal role of collaboration in cultivating robust business relations.

The discussion shed light on the strategic investments made in capacity-building and training, underscoring their significance in driving forward local content initiatives.

The company works closely with various groups, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the National Coordinating Coalition (NCC), Guyanese Achieving Together Enterprises (GATE), and the Guyana Oil and Gas Support Services Incorporated (GOGSSI). Representatives from each group, including Miss Simone Sills from NCC, Clinton Urling from GATE, and Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer from GOGSSI, shared insights on how their partnerships with SBM Offshore Guyana have helped their organisations grow and succeed.
Furthermore, they discussed the ongoing support from SBM Offshore that has played a crucial role in advancing the work they do.